Bicycle



Patented Feb. 28, I899. J. F. KOEH'LER.

BICYCLE.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Patented Feb. 28, I899. J. F. KOEHLER.

BICYCLE.

(Application filed June 18, 1898.)

V 2 $heets$heei 2.

(No Model.)

CR5 co. PHOTD-LITHQ, WASHING UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOIIAN FRANZ KOEHLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,459, dated February 28, 1899.

Application filed June 18,1898. Serial No. 683,883- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHAN FRANZ KOEHLER, a citizen of the United States, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Il1inois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such-as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to bicycles, and more particularly to certain novel details of combination and construction of parts of the frame proper thereof, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Among the objects of my invention is the provision of means whereby the bearing or journal of the wheel is rendered readily and easily. accessible.

A further object, among others, is to enable the frame to be easily converted or changed from a position designed to accommodate a gentleman rider to that condition which will render the same desirable for ladies use.

Other advantages will be made fully apparent in the detailed description thereof hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a complete bicycle, showing my improved frame in its complete operative position, the parts thereof being disposed in position for a gentlemans use, the same view 1 showing by dotted lines the position occupied by the top bar when the machine is converted to a ladys use. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of my improved frame in position for a ladys use, and also showing by dotted lines the position of the top bar when disposed for the accommodation of a gentleman rider. Fig. 3 is a rear view of a portion of the frame, showing the hinged section of the frame disposed outward. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the securing device in a locked position. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the locking-clasp, designed to hold the hinged securing device in a locked position. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the securing device. Fig. 7 is a top view of the rear end of the top bar of the frame. Fig. 8 is a detail in side elevation showing the preferred form of hinge employed to connect the front end of the top bar to the front post or head. Fig. 9 is a top view showing the parts illustrated in Fig. 8 slightly enlarged, one of said parts being received by the other.

It may be briefly stated that the object of my invention is to provide a folding wing= section secured either to the rear or forward part of the frame in such a way that the bearing of the wheel may be rendered easily accessible and, further, in a securing device attached, preferably, to the rear end of the horizontal bars, by means of which said bar when hinged to the forward post may. be held in a horizontal position or the rear end thereof dropped downward for the accommodation of a lady rider and secured to the contiguous part of the frame when in such depressed condition.

Referring to the several parts of my invention and the accessories deemed necessary to illustrate the same, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are the usual parts employed in providing the frame of the bicycle, the part 4 being the forward post, in which is journaled in the usual way the steering-shaft for the forward wheel.

Tothe upper end and rear side of the post 4 I secure, preferably by means of the hinged connection illustrated in the drawings, the

bar 3, which in the case of a gentlemans the integrally-formed extension or ear 8, to

which is secured the transversely-disposed rivets or journals 9,extending from either side of said ear, and as the ear 8 is received between the brackets 10 I provide in said brackets the slots 11, designed to receive the rivets or journals 9, the said slots 11 being provided in order to permit a slight vertical movement of said journals during the movement caused by raising or lowering the rear end of the body 3.

Designed to telescope with or receive the tubular section 7 is the forward end ofthe bar 3, provided upon its under side with the car 12, which is received between a pair of brackets 13, attached to the rear side of the post 4. It will be seen that registering apertures 14 and 15 are designed to receiveasuitable rivet or bolt to hold the part and pivotally unite it and enable the rear end of the bar 3 to be freely raised and lowered into the desired position.

By reference to Fig. 9 it will be seen that the forward end of the bar 3 is cut away upon its upper side, thus providing the recesses 15 and 16, designed to receive the ear 8 and the brackets 10, respectively, when the bar 3 is disposed in a horizontal position.

It will be apparent that the object in providing that the section 7 shall be received by the end of the bar 3 is to enable the forward end of said bar to snugly fit the several parts by which it is connected to the post 4 and also compensate for a partial withdrawal of the tubular section 7 when the lower end of the bar 3 is dropped downward, thereby insuring that a neat and attractive finish will be imparted to said parts.

In order that the rear end of the bar 3 may be securely held in an adjusted position, I provide at two different points upon the post 2 a securing device designed to receive said end and firmly clamp the same until released,

the object being to so construct said securing device that it may be disposed practically out of the way, locking the same around the post 2.

My securing device. designed to cooperate with the rear end of the bar 3, consists of the pivoted member 17, preferably having the checking-rib 18, said rib being pivotally secured by means of suitable ears 19 to the post 2 at the desired point thereon. To the free edges of the member 17 I attach, by means of the hinges 20, the clamping members 21 of proper size to encircle when in cooperation with the member 17 the end of the bar 3.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the free edges 22 of the members 21 are bent outward substantially parallel with each other, the object of which is to enable the latch 23 to be pivotall y connected by means of the extended car 24 to one of said extensions, whereby when said latch is folded downward over said edges the latter will be received be-' tween the parallel sections 25 and reliably held in such position until released, the operatinghandle 26 being formed upon said device to facilitate the easy control thereof.

The upper securing device, it will be seen, is pivotally attached by means of the ears 27 to the upper part of the post 2, said securing device being preferably disposed in such a way that it will open from the under side and readily receive the rear end of the bar 3 or be folded downward, so as to encircle the upper end of the post 2 when the bar 3 is depressed.

By the dotted lines (indicated by A,as shown in Fig. 2) it will be seen how the securing device is folded out of the way and adapted to encircle the post 2 when the bar 3 is in a horizontal position, while the dotted lines (indicated by 13) show the disposition made of the securing device and also the bar 3 when said bar is designed toaccommodate a gentleman rider.

In order to add greater rigidity to the union of the locking device and the end of the bar 3, I prefer to provide apertures 28 in the members 21 and corresponding lugs or pins 28, carried upon either side of the upper surface of the bar 3, it being clear that said lugs are designed to enter the apertures 28, and thus prevent any longitudinal strain brought to bear upon the frame from withdrawing the said bar from the securing device.

In Fig. 3 I have shown one of the rear posts 1 provided upon its lower end 29 with a hinged or outwardly-flexible section 30, attached to the section 29 by hinge 31, the purpose of which is to enable the wheel to be easily removed or the bearings thereof readily examined, it being apparent that said hinged construction may be attached to one of the front bearings, as well as upon the rear part of the frame, the result being a greater convenience or accessibility to the parts covered or inclosed thereby. It will be understood that the hinge of the flexible section 30 is of such character that said section will move outward only, while the opposite side of the frame or fork, as the case may be, is constructed substantially in the usual manner, except that I prefer to make it a little heavier or stronger, and it will be obvious that when a suitable locking-nut is placed upon the outer end of the axle the flexible section 30 may be very tightly and reliably secured.

WVhile I have described the preferred details of construction deemed necessary in materializing my invention, it will be seen that the substantial equivalent thereof is fully comprehended by me in this application and that any simple changes which would fall within the scope of my invention are designed to be covered by this application.

It is thought that the operation or use of my invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing description, though it may be briefly stated that the manner of using the same is as follows: When it is desired to change the frame into a position designed to accommodate a gentleman rider, it being assumed that the bar 3 is depressed, as shown in Fig. 3, the handle 26 of the securing device is raised, thereby disengaging the sections or jaws 25 from the sections 22, permitting the hinged members 21 to be moved to one side, thus enabling the released end of the bar 3 to be elevated and received by the securing device pivoted to the upper end of the post 2. After the lower locking device has been opened to release the bar 3 it is folded upward against the bar 2, when the hinged sections 21 are folded around said post, thus bringing the parallel sections 22 upon the rear side thereof in position to be engaged by the jaws or sections 25 when the handle 26 is raised upward snugly against and parallel with the post 2.

It will be observed that the handle 26, no matter in what position it may be disposed, will lie out of the way, thus preventing the same from casually engaging with the apparel of the rider.

My securing device by means of the peculiar construction herein set forth will be found reliably efficient in looking the free end of the bar 3 in its adjusted position, and it Will be apparent that the frame provided with said device will be found as rigid and strong as though the bar 3 was integrally or otherwise securely attached in position.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an improvement in bicycle-frames, the herein-described telescoping hinge for the convertible upper bar, consisting of the tubular section 7, having an upwardly-extending ear carrying rivets or journals; slotted ears secured to the post 4 designed to-cooperate with said journals; a tubular convertible bar designed to receive said tubular section 7 and suitable means for detachably holding the opposite end of said convertible bar in different positions, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A securing device for holding the end of the upper bar of abicycle-frame consisting of a pivoted member adapted to partly encircle said bar and having upon each side a hinged member having a lip attached thereto, and a keeper or latch pivoted to one of said hinged sections adapted to receive the extensions thereon when the same are brought into a substantially parallel position necessary to lock said adjustable bar, said securing device being so pivoted to the carryingpost or middle section of the frame that it may be folded and secured around said post when not in use, as specified and for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein-described. securing device consisting of the pivoted member and hinged wing-sections secured to the free edges thereof, said parts being adapted to encircle the part of the frame to be secured, and a keeper pivoted to one of said wings and adapted to engage the free edges of both of them, said securing device being adapt-ed to be folded backward out of the way and encircle the ad jacent post of the frame when not in active use, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a securing device for a portion of a bicycle-frame consisting of hinged members adapted to encircle the part of the frame to be secured and pivoted to an adjacent part of the frame; lugs formed upon the frame adapted to be received by apertures provided in said hinged members, and suitable means for locking the device in its operative position, the same being adapted to be folded out of the way when not in use, as specified and for the purpose set forth.

5. The herein-described securing device pivotally attached in position upon a section of the frame and adapted to secure the free end of the upper adjustable bar when in an operative position and arranged to be folded out of the way so that the portion of the part of the frame carrying it will be encircled by it when not in use, as specified.

6. As an improvement in bicycle-frames, a substantially vertical hinged leaf forming a part of the frame'adjacent to the bearings adapted to be moved outward to permit access to the bearings of the wheel, and suitable means for securing said hinged member in a rigid or locked position, as specified and for the purpose set forth.

7. As an attachment for bicycle-frames, ahinged member or leaf carried by the frame and adapted to receive the extended end of the axle and be folded upward out of the way to permit access to the bearings of the wheel and a nut carried by the extended end of the axle adapted to securely bind said hinged or leaf member and secure it in a vertical or op erative position, as and for the purpose specified.

8. As an attachment for bicycle-frames, a hinged member located-upon the frame adja cent to the bearings and having a slot upon its lower edge adapted to receive the end of the axle, said member being so arranged that it will fold outward to provide ready access to the bearings of the wheel, as specified and for the purpose set forth.

9. As an attachment for adjustable bicycle frames, the herein-described hinge for the end of the upper or adjustable bar consisting of the section 7 designed to fit the end of said bar and provided with an upward extension carrying lugs, ears carried by the forward post and having slots designed to receive said lugs, and the upper bar pivotally connected to the forward post in such a manner that said bar ma'y be freely raised and lowered at its rear end, as specified and for the purpose set forth.

10. The herein-described securing device for the end of an adjustable bar of a bicycle consisting of a member pivotally attached to a portion of the frame and having a concave face designedto partly receive the end of said bar said member being further provided with hinged members adapted to encircle the remaining portion of the bar not engaged by said concave member, and locking-lips carried by said members designed to lie substantially parallel with, and approximate each other, and a locking-latch carried by one of said lips and adapted to secure both of them in a locked position around the end of the bar, all of said parts being'adapted to be folded out of the way and around the portion of the post by which it is carried, all operatively combined in the manner specified and for the purpose set forth.

Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHAN FRANZ KOEHLER.

. Witnesses:

LANOHLANE MAOKINTOSH, WILLIAM O. HEARN. 

